My MK IV Volkswagen Golf stalls and engine cuts out - what's causing it?

My car can suddenly stall and engine cut out after driving half a mile. Try to restart it and the revs will not stay up to idle speed and the engine cuts again. If I rev the engine for a while and then...

MINI Countryman clutch failure

My wife's MINI Countryman All4 has suffered a premature clutch failure after only 37,000 miles. As the clutch is not covered by the warranty (wear and tear, apparently), it has cost over £2000 to be repaired...

Putting my SLK in storage for winter

I am laying up my 2006 Mercedes-Benz SLK for the winter. What should I do to protect the doors, window seals and folding roof mechanism?

Volkswagen CC engine rattles since emissions 'fix'

My 2012 Volkswagen CC went back to the dealer for its emissions work back in July 2016; however, since then the engine has developed a very large rattle and no longer gets better than 47mpg (used to be...

Where can I find a worshop manual for my Rodeo Denver Max?

I want to buy a technical manual for my Isuzu Rodeo Denver Max, but can’t find any in the Haynes catalogues. Are there any other places I can find a workshop manual for my pick-up?

Volkswagen Golf - hybrid or petrol?

My sister lives in London and wants to buy a Volkswagen Golf with an automatic gearbox. She has a budget of £20,000 and does mainly local journeys. with some longer ones at weekends. She is set on the...

Need a car with good economy for driving in town

I've got a Skoda Octavia 1.6 TDI and do mainly town driving, which usually gives me 45mpg. I noticed that the Octavia (2004-2013) 1.6 diesel and the Toyota Auris hybrid (2013-) Touring both get similar...

Need a hybrid for taxi work - E300 or Prius?

I am a taxi driver and have £12,000 to spend on a used hybrid. Which do you recommend between the Mercedes-Benz E300 or Toyota Prius?

Buying a used car for around £8000 - what would you recommend?

I am looking to buy a used car with a budget of about £8000 - what would you recommend? I'm after something that looks stylish, inside and out if possible - with a fair bit of speed. I'm probably looking...

Which small cars have the best turning circle?

I need a new city car, but have a tight turn to get my car from the street into my garage. Can you tell me which city cars have the best turning circles?

New car is missing optional extras - should I let the dealer retrofit?

I recently ordered a new SEAT Mii from local dealer, selecting various optional extras including the Convenience Pack. Inconveniently, this was not fitted by the factory and the dealer is crying "misbuild"...

Why is my Toyota Aygo using so much oil?

I have a 2006 Toyota Aygo 1.0 petrol which I have had for over nine years. I have started using the car more for work journeys and have noticed that the engine oil needs topping up regularly. To date...

Do you recommend the KIA Niro?

How do you rate the Kia Niro? I am planning to go for a test drive; do you have any figures for the Real MPG and thoughts on the various safety features? What should be the best price and finance deals?

Mitsubishi L200 blowing smoke - turbo failure?

My son owns a (2001 model) Mitsubishi L200 2.5 diesel pick-up. When starting from cold, the vehicle belches out smoke. He was warned that the turbo is on the way out; however, whilst driving home from...

Nissan Pulsar vs Peugeot 308 - which is best for comfort?

I need to buy a new car and am trying to decide between the Nissan Pulsar and the Peugeot 308. Comfort is my main concern. I also hate cars with body roll in the corners. Which should I choose, the Pulsar...

Vauxhall Astravan blowing grey smoke

I have a 2009 Vauxhall Astravan 1.7 diesel. In the past few weeks the vehicle has started developing a smoking issue, which no one can find an answer for. The smoke is grey in colour, but the van doesn’t...

Best tyres for M135i?

I own a BMW M135i. The tyres have done 30K and are coming up to a change. At present I have run flats (245/35R18 rear and 225/40R18 front), what do you recommend I replace them with?

My tyres are 'out of round' - what's the cure?

Great website, best on the Internet! I have had my Kia Cee'd (2014, 15000 miles) diagnosed with rear tyres out of round. Was told by main dealer that this 'can just happen', & is not dangerous, only noisy,...

Jaguar XF problems

I've recently bought a 2011 Jaguar XF and have two minor operating issues which I hope you can help me with: 1) Wipers will not fold back to enable windscreen to be washed - is this normal (no info in...

Can you recommend a cheap car for towing a caravan?

I am looking for a cheap tow car (capable of taking a 1500kg caravan) with low tax and insurance. It must also be reliable. What do you recommend I buy for £2500?

Can I fit non-Honda wheels to my S2000?

I have a S2000 (2005 model). It's been serviced by Honda recently and they confirmed that one of the front wheels is very buckled and the other front wheel is slightly damaged - no doubt due to pot holes....

Best MPV for under than £2000?

I would like some advice on what car to buy. I have £2000 to spend on ideally a reliable MPV but I would also like it to be good at towing for up to 1.3 tonnes. What would you recommend?

Should I foot the bill for a mechanic's mistake?

I took my car to a garage recently and the glow plug sheared off when being removed. As a result, it required a specialist to drill it out, adding £330 to our bill. Who should foot the added cost and do...

Why does our MINI One use so much oil?

Our MINI One 2011 is using an excessive amount of oil. The problem has appeared quite suddenly. In the past 4000 miles the car has used two litres of oil. Is this normal? My guess is the valve seals are...

What company car would you recommend?

I get a company car with my job and need a little advice. I fall into the 40% tax bracket and the company will only pay company mileage at recommended rates.I need a large car for my family and would also...

Need a used car that will carry three rear child seats

What's the best vehicle to buy which can accommodate three rear child seats and cope with 25,000 miles per year? Would be happy to consider a used vehicle and it would be nice to have something that...

SEAT Leon 1.6 diesel - keep or sell?

I bought a SEAT Leon 1.6 diesel on HP in 2014 as I was doing a 50 mile round-trip per day at the time and a diesel seemed like the most sensible option. Since 2015, an change of job means that I use the...

Honda CR-V vs Toyota RAV4 - which is best?

I am considering buying a Honda CR-V manual petrol 4WD or a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 4WD. I do not do enough mileage for a diesel (around 12,000 miles per year) and want to buy a car that will keep me for 10...

Should I swap my 2013 CR-V for an older model?

I currently drive a 2013 Honda CR-V petrol, which is now out of it's warranty period. In the two years I've owned it, it has lost £6000 in value through depreciation (£250 a month) and I also pay a monthly...

Buying a used car - seller's address doesn't match V5C

I have just viewed a used car that's for sale. All looked fine, except the log book (V5C) document has the V5C/3 (selling to a motor trader) yellow slip missing. The guy selling the car could not give...

Why does my Ford Fiesta keep cutting out?

My Ford Fiesta has started to cut out while driving. The problem is quite sudden, with the vehicle stopping and all of the lights going out on the dashboard. The immobiliser light will also come on, which...

Vauxhall Astra 1.6 SE petrol juddering under acceleration - what can it be?

I have a Astra 1.6 SE 2010 Petrol, 33,000 miles. I am experiencing a weird problem when accelerating the car stutters and judders. Not excessively that you cant drive and will reach 70mph and sit there...

Nissan Qashqai or a regular estate?

It seems everyone and their dog now drives an SUV From where I see it if one of those hits you in your average size family car you will come off worse. At the moment I am looking at petrol versions of...

HELP! Just discovered I'm the second owner of a 'new' car. What can I do?

We bought a new MX5 from a dealer mazda 30/09/16. We went in to buy a new car whet through the sales patter never asked for any discount or add ons as we liked car and wanted it new. We bought paid signed...

Can you recommend a rugged used 4x4?

I'm looking for a rugged and practical 4x4 as a local run around. Not keen on Land Rover. Something ex-military would be good. Any ideas?

Tyre speed ratings: Is it legal to mix h and s speed ratings on the same axle?

Tyre speed ratings: Is it legal to mix h and s speed ratings on the same axle?

How reliable is the Vauxhall Insignia?

I am interested in a 2014 Insignia SRi CDTi 140 at a local dealer (20k miles, ex-rental plus one owner). Looking at your Car-by-Car Reviews, it would be easy to assume that Insignias have numerous reliability...

Jaguar F-Pace electrical fault - what's the cause?

My Jaguar F-Pace is five weeks old and has done 1500 miles. Last week, at the traffic lights, I put the car into neutral and all the electrics went dead. When I put it back into gear the electrics re-started....

Questionable VW Software Fix - have you heard of this?

Has anyone else experienced issues after the vw software update in their VW Passat estate? Last week I had the software fix applied to my Diesel Passat Estate. Since then the vehicle has noticably reduced...

VAG EA189 emissions defeat software fix - seen this update?

Have you seen this? The EU are worried about VW's fix. Reuters: EU fears VW diesel fixes could damage engines: Spiegel. http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIwlYulmDA Keep up the good work!

Buying an electric car - can I have the battery tested?

I want to buy a second hand Nissan Leaf. Do you know of companies that can do a professional test of its battery and issue a report on its condition?

Why doesn't my Dacia Sandero have a pollen filter?

I was under the assumption that all cars were fitted with pollen filters, but I find no such filter on my 2015 Dacia Sandero. It doesn't have air con, but there is a removable cover in the driver's footwell...

Which second hand small car - first car for 20 year old son - with £3000 price limit?

My 20 year old son is looking for his first car - he has a budget of £3000. It needs to be small, frugal and affordable for insurance, but also safe and reliable for motorway trips to university. Also...

M3 Vs S4 - which one should I buy?

I currently drive a BMW E46 M3 and whilst I love the driving experience, as a daily drive it definitely has some short comings. My previous car was a diesel A4 B8 Avant and the one thing I really miss...

What makes tyres go out of shape?

I run a 57 reg Volvo S40 2.4i. At 39000 miles it developed a droning/booming noise related to road speed and I suspected a worn wheel bearing. My local garage diagnosed out-of-shape rear tyres and replacement...

Do you know of any problems with the Skoda Yeti DSG gearbox?

A friend is thinking of buying a new Yeti 1.2 TSI with a DSG gearbox. I believe wet clutch DSG gearboxes are more reliable than dry clutch DSG gearboxes - is this correct? And can you tell me which sort...

What's causing intermittent power steering failure?

Failure of the electro-mechanical power steering system happens occasionally during low speed manoeuvring when the system is under maximum load. Turn ignition off and back on and the power assistance is...

Problem addressed in warranty that continues after warranty period - what can I do?

My recently purchased BMW (08) has developed an engine sensor and injector fault. Dealer has approved repair, but should other items such as coil also be fitted? If they are not, and the fault happens...

I want to buy British: Which cars are made in the UK?

After the news that Nissan are to carry on manufacturing the new Qashqai and X-Trail in this country AND with us leaving the European union in the near future, I would like to support the UK industry,...

Buying a Ford Focus diesel - what should I look out for?

I am wanting to buy a 3/4 year old Ford Focus Estate and seem to have found a 2013 one, but the mileage is quite high at 100,000. Would this be a problem in the long run? My average miles per year wouldn't...